Candles have been used to provide light since early times in human civilization. Although candles are no longer needed for light, they are still very popular for use in decorative applications. At its most basic, a candle consists of a combustible wick surrounded by a configuration of a wax-like material. The heat from a lighted wick causes the wax to melt and travel up the wick in a capillary action, which allows for slow combustion of the wax and the wick.
Although beeswax has traditionally been used as a natural wax for candles, the onset of the petroleum industry sparked the development of paraffin as an alternative wax. Paraffin, an abundant low-cost alternative to beeswax, has become a widely used alternative in present day candlemaking. Even though paraffin is a very commonly used in candlemaking, its use has some significant drawbacks. First, paraffin melts and burns at high temperatures posing a risk to the consumer, or to their home. Additionally, candles made from paraffin do not emit a strong scent because paraffin wax does not hold fragrance well. Further, paraffin, a by-product of crude oil, is the result of non-renewable energy source.
Most importantly, in order for paraffin to be used as candle wax, additives such as urethanes and solvents must be combined with the paraffin. Supplementing the wax with these additives causes black smoke and chemical toxins that can be emitted into the air from the paraffin wax as the candle burns. Further, paraffin, having properties similar to motor oil, diesel fuel, and petroleum grease, emits smoke and soot as it burns, which it thought to cause the release of particulates into the surrounding atmosphere. This release of particulates can adversely affect the health of those who inhale them.
In an effort to overcome some of these problems, there has been an attempt to provide candles made predominantly from natural vegetable-based materials, such as, for example soybean, palm, cottonseed or other vegetable-based materials. Although the formation of candles from the above materials to date have been moderately successful, there are lingering problems associated with vegetable oil-based candles including cracking, air pocket formation, wax shrinkage, as well as a lack of complete color and fragrance integration into the resultant candles.
Consequently, a significant need exists for an improved method of making a candle using a candle wax that is non-toxic, made from a renewable source, and produced at a cost equivalent to the currently used paraffin, but does not suffer from the above-listed performance problems.
The method of making a vegetable oil-based candle as disclosed by the present disclosure generates a candle that contains a strong, even fragrance and displays solid, vibrant color. The candles, however, do not contain the previously mentioned performance problems of cracking, fragrance, coloring integration, etc. The vegetable oil-based candle wax of the present invention is particularly advantageous for use in forming container candles, as the candle wax is formulated so that it cools and cures, but does not significantly reduce in size, and therefore a clean looking candle is manufactured.
The present invention addresses these and other problems of the prior art by providing a novel method of making a vegetable oil-based candle.